Once
upon a time there lived a man who was a great miser. One day he brought a large
crate of glassware very cheaply, and then began gloating at the thought of how
he would sell it at a high price in the market. The bearer he hired to carry
the crate asked ehat was inside.

"Only some
bits and pieces of glass," replied the miser with a wave of his hand.

"And what
will I get for taking it to your house?" asked the bearer.

"You can have
either ten coins or three pieces of advice. Take your choice," said the
miser.

"Ten coins
isn't much," said the bearer to himself. "I'll take three pieces of
advice."

"Good!"
said the miser, delighted that he would not have to pay anything. So the bearer
put the crate on his back and the two men set off.

After they had
gone some way, the bearer said, "I must stop and rest for I an tired. Tell
me, what is the first piece of advice?"

"Listen, then,"
said the miser. "Don't believe whoever tells you that slavery is better
than freedom."

"That is a
good bit of advice," muttered the bearer, "but I know that better
than you."

Soon they continued
on their way. After a while the bearer had to stop and rest again. Sitting down
he said to the miser, "What is the second piece of advice?"

The miser thought
about it for a while and then replied, "Don't believe whoever tells you
that poverty brings happiness and wealth unhappiness."

"I know that
too," muttered the bearer, and hoisting the crate on his back, continued
on his way.

When they came
to the miser's house he turned to him and said, "And now tell me, what
is the third piece of advice?"

"Don't believe
whoever tells you that hunger is not painful," replied the miser.

At that the bearer
grew livid with rage and shouted at the miser," Now I'll give you a piece
of advice! Believe whoever tells you that there are only bits and pieces of
glass in that crate!"

With these words
he flung the crate to the ground, and all the glassware broke. Now there were
only bits and pieces of glass inside!